Rubber Ducky
by saphiredmoon
Summary: What a dirty sparkling needs is a bath. And a devious toy to help dish out some fun. Armada. one shot for Killed to be Born


This is the one shot for Killed to be Born. Thank you for the 100 reviews!!8D

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers Armada.

Enjoy!

**Rubber Ducky**

Saying today was a busy day was putting it mildly. There was always something that needed to be done. Whether it was the final repairs on the ship, or Hotshot wanting to get his tires inflated for the millionth time after getting 3 flats in a week. Red Alert paced along the hallways of the base, constantly moving to make improvements or fix minor mistakes. His arms were lined with grease and he could feel his joints creak as he moved to his next project. He was glad that he had included an air conditioning unit into the base. The heat outside the base was roaring into the 100s and he was sure it was enough heat to make his paint job slime right off and turn into piles of goop.

Causally he checked his chronometer wondering what was taking Smokescreen so long in bringing Skyshifter back to the base. Could it be that he had lost the sparkling again? Red Alert was getting more annoyed. Every time that Skyshifter was taken out he would end up getting sidetracked from his caretakers. He needed to find a solution to this small problem before it got worse. Deciding to take a break, he logged onto the internet searching for any ideas. Humans usually had many ideas for almost everything. He noticed this after having spent a large amount of time one night exploring the facilities of the internet. He stopped his browsing suddenly when an image popped up in the search engine. He pondered the image wondering what kind of human philosophy had brought this up.

"How strange…"

The human mother was taking a stroll with her child, but she had her child on some sort of…restraining device. Didn't they use this device for smaller mammals? Curiosity reaching its peak, he dived into the web once again for more research on the restraining device. Once satisfied, he had learned that this device or 'leash' was used in the same way for both mammals and human toddlers. He thought the idea was simple, but yet genius at the same time. It was a simple answer to a simple problem. Now where could he order one? Again he searched the internet for answers. First thing on his search list was EBay. Or should he click on Bamzoo?

"Uh, Red Alert?"

Closing the connection, Red Alert looked up at Smokescreen.

"Yes?"

"We kinda have a problem…" Smokescreen couldn't help trying to smother the giggles his voice made.

"What happened?" Red Alert asked nonchalantly.

Red Alert twitched when he heard the creaking of small joints coming together disdainfully as the tiny little sparkling came from behind Smokescreen. Its brilliant sky blue paint job was murdered and torn to shreds under what seemed to be mud. Skyshifter had turned into a living mud monster. Complete with mud tracks that covered most of the hallways in the base.

"How did this happen?!" Red Alert squatted down and inspected Skyshifter, or what was supposed to look like Skyshifter.

"I don't know. I just found him that way in a mud puddle. He ended up getting stuck." Smokescreen looked over the sparkling carefully for a second before looking back at Red Alert.

Skyshifter looked up at his caretakers expectantly. They had to clean him up right? He also wanted to get the situation done as soon as possible before anyone questioned him how he had gotten stuck. He would have had to remember once again that he had tripped over his own feet after having been running too fast and landed head first into a mud puddle next to him.

'_What an embarrassment.'_

Skyshifter flinched as Red Alert picked him up and bid adieu to Smokescreen. Slyly looking up, he noted that Red Alert's mouth was in a thin line, annoyed at the filth that he had gotten himself into. Before Red Alert could continue to the wash racks, Optimus Prime saw him.

"I see Skyshifter has gotten himself into an accident?" Optimus said, chuckling.

"Yes, I have to go wash him up in the wash racks."

"Take this then."

Optimus handed Red Alert a bright yellow rubber ducky.

"…How'd you get one of these?" Red Alert asked suspiciously.

"I'm Prime. There are quite a few perks that come along with the title you know."

Red Alert decided not to question any further and went on his way to the wash racks. Skyshifter was trying hard not to laugh at the sudden scene that had happened. As they entered the wash racks, Red Alert placed Skyshifter on the floor and handed him the rubber ducky as he turned on the water and added a frothy substance that horribly reminded Skyshifter of the bubble baths he had taken when he was still human. As Red Alert was getting ready, Skyshifter heard the familiar voices of his friends down the hallway. Setting the ducky on the ground he ran towards the exit of the wash racks.

"Not so fast Skyshifter, you have to get clean first. The kids can wait."

Grabbing Skyshifter before he could leave, Red Alert placed him carefully on the side of a large tub that was filling with warm water and soap bubbles. The next thing that started happened so simultaneously that Sksyhifter barely had time to gasp.

As Red Alert headed back to get the brushes, he ended up stepping on the rubber ducky. As if on cue he lost his balance and while his arms started to flail hopelessly trying to grab something, he fell straight into the pool that was meant for Skyshifter. A huge splash echoed throughout the wash racks and the water pooled over the edge of the tub. Skyshifter quickly ran over to Red Alert who was currently sprawled in the pool, bubbles sticking to any available surface of his armor and face. Red Alert was stunned and laid still as he tried to regain his motion sensors. Skyshifter quickly grabbed a brush and started to clean Red Alert's helmet, squeaking with mirth at the change in plans. Red Alert, seeing his chance, then grabbed Skyshifter into the bubbled tub. As Skyshifter stopped squirming in the tub, Red Alert noticed a yellow object from the corner of his optics from underneath his visor. Reaching for it, he heard a 'squeak' come out of the small rubber ducky.

"Little fragger…" he said quietly as he stared at the little object and then handed it over to his charge.

Smiling cheerfully, Skyshifter pulled the toy underneath the water and watched its hollow inside fill up. He knew he was going to get in trouble for this, but he extremely enjoyed watching Red Alert's expression as he squeezed the toy's liquid contents straight at his visors.


End file.
